The Escherichia coli ribosomal protein S16 is an endonuclease

Mol Microbiol. 1996 Mar;19(6):1319-30. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1996.tb02476.x.

Abstract

The histone-like protein HU isolated from Escherichia coli exhibited, after several purification steps, a Mg(2+)-dependent nuclease activity. We show here that this activity can be dissociated from HU by a denaturation-renaturation step, and is due to a small fraction of ribosomal protein S16 co-purifying with HU. S16 is an essential component of the 30S ribosomal particles. We have cloned, overproduced, and purified a histidine-tagged S16 and shown that this protein is a DNA-binding protein carrying a Mg(2+)-Mn(2+)-dependent endonuclease activity. This is an unexpected property for a ribosomal protein.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Endonucleases / genetics
  • Endonucleases / isolation & purification
  • Endonucleases / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism*
  • Magnesium / metabolism
  • Manganese / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Ribosomal Proteins / genetics
  • Ribosomal Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Ribosomal Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Ribosomal Proteins
  • histone-like protein HU, bacteria
  • ribosomal protein S16
  • Manganese
  • Endonucleases
  • Magnesium